Improvement in carving-forks



J. W. GARDNER. Carving Pork.

No. 201,664. Patented Mar ch'26,1878.

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\ N PEI'ERS, PHOTOV-LTI'HOGRAFHF-R. WASHINGTON D C UNITED STATES PATENT ()FFICE.

JOSEPH W. GARDNER, OF SHELBURNE FALLS, MASSACHUSETTS.

vIMPROVEMENT IN CARVING-FORKS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 201,664, dated March 26, 1878; application filed August 7, 1877.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, J OSEPH W. GARDNER,

of Shelburne Falls, in the county of Franklin and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain Improvements in OarvingForks, of which the following is a specification:

My invention relates to that class of carvingforks which are provided with a guard and rest or support; and the improveinentconsists in forming the guard, its pivot, and the rest or support in one piece, and securing the same in place by a spring-plate, which serves also to hold the guard and rest either in an open or folded position, as hereinafter more fully explained.

In the drawings, Figure 1 represents a side view of my improved device, partially in section, the guard and rest being shown open, in position for use. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same, with the guard and rest folded; and

Figs. 3 and 4 are, respectively, views of the spring-plate and the guard detached.

The object of this invention is to produce a guard and rest which may be applied to the fork without the use of a separate pivot, and which may be used in connection with a fork in which the shank is formed in one piece with the tang and tines.

To accomplish this object, I construct the guard, rest, and pivot all in one piece, as shown in Figs. 1 and 4, and as described in my specification of a patent of even date herewith. In this case I make the tines, shank, and tang all of one piece of metal, in the usual manner, except as hereinafter described, the

exception relating only to the means of applyin g and securing the guard.

A mortise is formed vertically in the shank A, of the proper size to permit the pivot or hub c of the guard to be set therein from the under side, as shown in Fig. 1, the opening on the upper side being of such a size as to cause the hub e to bear against the walls of the mortise at its opposite ends, which forms a bearing or seat for the hub e, and prevents it from slipping through.

I then construct the piece B as shown in Fig. 3, it having a slot in its rear end of such a size as to straddle the hub e, the prongs 0 bearing against the sides of the hub. This piece B is secured to the under side of the shank A by a rivet, Ir, at its front end, and by having its rear end beveled to fit under the inclined shoulder m, formed on the shank, as shown in Fig. 2.

In order to hold the guard up and down, its

hub e is made slightly eccentric, as shown in Fig. 1, so that the pressure of the end 12 of the piece B pressing against the edge of the hub, and acting thereon as a stiff spring, will hold it in position either up or down. Or, if preferred, the piece B may have a slit out in it, so as to allow the arms 0 to. spring sidewise and engage in grooves formed in the opposite faces of the hub c, said grooves h being so arranged that the arms 0 Will lock into one set when the guard is turned up, as shown in Fig. 1, and in the other when turned down, as in Fig. 2, this latter being the plan described in my specification of a patent of even date herewith.

If desired, the prongs of the restf may have their edges beveled, so as to form a knifesharpener, as represented in Fig. 4L.

I am aware that a guard and rest have before been made with a solid journal set into an open recess, and the recess then closed, so as to hold it in place; also, that a guard and rest have been inserted from one side of the shank, and held therein by a separate piece secured rigidly to the side of the shank, and I do not claim either of these; but

Having described my invention, what I claim is-- 1. A carving-fork having its shank, tines, and tang made of a continuous piece, and provided with a vertical mortise, with the combined guard and rest, having the circular hub c and the separate plate or piece B, all constructed and arranged to operate substantially as described.

2. In combination with the shank A and spring-piece B, the eccentric-hub e, as and for the purpose set forth.

JOSEPH W. GARDNER.

Witnesses:

O. R. MAYNARD, O. W. HAwKs. 

